1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a packaging body and more specifically to a packaging body for packaging an ink sheet or an image receiving sheet which is wound in a roll and is for use in a laser heat transfer recording.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a laser transfer recording process, a method is carried out in which an ink sheet for each of yellow, cyan, magenta and the like respectively, is sequentially superposed with an image receiving sheet so as to correspond with each image, and an image for each of the colors is sequentially transferred from the ink sheet to the image receiving sheet to form a multicolored image. The ink sheet and image receiving sheet are respectively loaded on a device called a rack in a state in which they are taken up in a roll.
In general, the ink sheet and the image receiving sheet are respectively taken up onto winding cores and stored in carton boxes. At the time of a recording operation, the ink sheet and image receiving sheet which were taken up onto winding cores are taken from packing materials such as a carton box, or the like and when these sheets are loaded onto the rack(s), flanges are mounted onto the winding core and subsequently, the recording operation is started. In the case of this type of operation, if when the ink sheet and the image receiving sheet are wound onto the winding cores the degree of winding is loose, the ink sheet and the image receiving sheet which are wound onto the winding cores tend to have winding error when loaded onto the rotation rack. Due to the occurrence of this winding error, accuracy in positioning the ink sheet onto the image receiving sheet is poor and obtaining a fine and high quality images becomes difficult.
Further, when the ink sheet and the image receiving sheet are wound onto the winding cores, particularly when the sheets are wound too forcefully, the impressions of the Langston winding (spiral winding) generally used on the winding core tend to remain on the ink sheet and the image receiving sheet. Alternatively, a slight step formed by a final end portion of the sheet (a portion that contacts the winding core) on the outer surface of the winding core, tend to cause undesirable lines on those sheets (cut portion impressions). As in the case above, tight contact of the ink sheet with the image receiving sheet is poor. As a result, it is difficult to obtain a fine and high quality image.
Further, it is necessary to mount the flanges onto the winding core each time the ink sheet and the image receiving sheet which are wound onto the respective winding cores are loaded onto the rack(s), making the operation very complicated. Also, when the flanges are mounted to the winding cores, paper dust is generated and this paper dust may attach to the surface of the sheets which moves from the rack(s) to the print recording section, and as in the case above, cause tight contact of the ink sheet with the image receiving sheet to be poor.
The object of the present invention is to solve the above problems by providing an ink sheet and an image receiving sheet in which winding error is not generated and impressions, lines and the like, which hinder image formation are not formed on the sheets.
Further, the present invention provides a method for image formation in which a high quality and fine image can be obtained by a simple operation.
In order to achieve the above objects, a packaging body comprises a packing material and at least one sheet packaged therein, wherein the sheet is an ink sheet for laser heat transfer recording having a winding core on which the sheet is wound, the winding core having opposite end portions and a flange mounted to at least one end portion of the winding core.
The second aspect of the present invention is a packaging body comprising a packing material and at least one sheet packaged therein, wherein the sheet is an image receiving sheet for laser heat transfer recording having a winding core on which the sheet is wound, the winding core having opposite end portions and a flange mounted to at least one end portion of the winding core.
The third aspect of the present invention is an image forming method comprising the steps of: providing a packaging body having a packing material and at least one ink sheet for laser heat transfer recording, with the ink sheet wound on an ink sheet winding core and packaged in the packing material and a packaging body having a packing material and at least one image receiving sheet for laser heat transfer recording, with the receiving sheet wound on a receiving sheet winding core and packaged in the packing material, wherein at least one flange is mounted to at least one of the winding cores; removing the ink sheet and the image receiving sheet from its respective packing material; loading the sheets onto at least one rack; selecting an end portion of one winding core which does not have a flange mounted thereto and mounting another flange to the selected end portion; dispensing the ink sheet and the image sheet from its respective rack; superposing the ink sheet and the image receiving sheet; and irradiating a laser beam image-wise onto the ink sheet and the image receiving sheet while they are superposed to thereby form an image.